E53 flickering headlights

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 8:13 pm

X5 2005 D-Sport.

The dip beam lights flicker rapidly, sometimes they stop flickering, but rarely.
The issue also causes the dip lights to bail totally & then they go thru their lowering & raising cycle again & again...
The Main beam is totally unaffected & works just fine.

Is there a relay or controller, or could this possibly be a loose fuse maybe ??

So, anyone any ideas where the dip beam fuses are or any relay exists...

Any suggestions & assistance is most welcome please.
Regarfs
Grant B

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:50 pm

If they are regular bulbs I'd say the filament has broken but it still making regular contact due to vibration of the engine. The dip probably works the vast majority of the time, I rarely use full beam at all now so doesn't get the same wear. Also the fact main is fine suggests the headlight earth is also OK.
I see a lot of one headlight flickers on cars and lorries and that is what I assume is wrong they don't always fail completely but often work half OK before full failure.

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:49 am

Many thanks for that - i will vheck the bulbs, but that does not explain why both lights go out, & they both cycle their alignment positions up & down... & BOTH lights flicker & then work properly & then one or other or both flicker & then go out & on again.. then do their lower position & raise alignment again.

My thoughts are that there is intermittent power getting to the headlamp units, some times the left then right unit.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:00 am

Bulb changing is going to be by the the best outcome, after that it could be the light control module and then it could start to get expensive with coding of a replacement. It does sound like th ey have been turned of and on yes with the cycling up and down. I suppose you could try unplugging 1 to see if the fault goes away on the other side but there isn't a whole lot inside an ordinary headlamp.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:13 am

If they are flickering and self levelling I'd assume the car has Xenon dipped beams, and if the issue is only with the dipped beam, perhaps the ballast units are failing or there is a wiring issue to them?

Don't imagine it would be a fuse, they either work or blow. Could be a relay I suppose, have you not got the handbook to show you fuse and relay locations? Probably online if you haven't and need to search.

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:06 pm

Hi SapphireBlack,
I will hunt out the fuses & relays over the weekend & check connections etc & see what I can find that may be loose or iffy.
Thank you for the suggestions.
Grant B

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:54 pm

Looking at the wiring diagram, both lamps are separately wired directly to the Light Control Module itself. No relays or fuses. The LCM is shown as the left side A-pillar footwell area. Power feed is to the LCM itself.

Wiring to the lights from the LCM. Both sides are separately grounded to chassis. Two wiring options - below- the lower one looks to be for the E53 LCI (09/2003 onwards) but I’ve put both up.

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There is an alternate wiring diagram as well……

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X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:01 pm

Hi Richard, this is interesting...
The odd thing with these lights is that MAIN BEAM works perfectly... but each bulb being an independent unit & controller makes sense.

The other thing is that the dips are fitted with 50w aftermarket HIS sets.
Tomorrow, I will tug out the HIDs & see if the same issue exists with some LED lights or standard bulbs......
as it may be that the HID ballast units are mucking about & annoying the controller or making issues themselves possibly ?

penny for your thoughts chap
Regards
Grant B

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:06 pm

Just updated the diagrams to first post - two versions, lower is probably what you should have. Aftermarket kit could well upset the LCM but the two sides have separate feeds as do the high beams.

Connectors…….

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X13nnn series connectors are on the lights themselves. Wire colours are in German. You’ll need to translate I suspect.

There is one common feed to both sides, and that’s the high beam shutter driver for the HID pair. It moves at the same time as the high beam pair turn on assuming BiXenon lights (I think I had those on my 2005).

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:35 pm

Thankyou again Richard,
I will pull it all to bits tomorrow again lol

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 4:38 pm

Update to share here re flickering dip headlights.

The dip beams both flickered every now & then... and or do not stop flickering & looks like a sodding disco...
This sometimes wipes out the fogs or main beam or both...

ALL forward lighting is HID with the 75 watt amplifier modules...

So I started with the LEFT / passenger dip bulb & amplifier unit - no change... both still flicker.
Yesterday I found time to swap the Right Dip Bulb unit.... YAY... problem solved.

After some digging, i learned that the gas in these bulbs eventually expires & causes the bulbs to constantly re-ignite...
The HID bulb ignition sends some serious electrical spikes thru the bulb to get it fired.... much like the old House-Hold Fluorescent strip lights where they drew huge power to fire them up.

Any way.... new HID bulb, & problem solved.
Fortunately, this issue didn't wipe out the headlight controller..

Regards to all, & thanks for your assistance.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:34 pm

That’s not one I would have thought of. HIDs are supposed to be lifed in thousands of hours and last years. Perhaps the cheaper non-OEM bulbs aren’t as gas tight? The ballast/igniter won’t be too happy I suspect.

When HIDs first appeared I remember seeing guidance about not hot starting (less than 5 mins off > on) as it knackered the ballast. Tech may well have improved somewhat in the intervening years.

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:39 pm

in 6 years, this is the 1st issue I have ever had with this brand of HIDs, on 2 different X5s.
the cheap Chinese ballast units are not even waterproofed units & destined to electrocute you - and it bloody hurts.

I run the dipped lights ALWAYS, so these bulbs must have done 2000 hours of more...
either way, the problem is fixed.... now on to all the other gremlins I need to fix lol.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 6:01 pm

One of my oem xenon bulbs recently failed so they don't last forever, flickered went out then switched on and off lights and it came back on a short time then never again.
I'd imagine the gas eventually leaks out rather than expires and that's when problems start

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 6:15 pm

X5-D-Sport wrote: ↑Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:39 pm the cheap Chinese ballast units are not even waterproofed units & destined to electrocute you - and it bloody hurts.

18-25kV will give you a little tickle! I used to hate working on valve transmitters back in the day. They only had 1.5kV PSUs but had lots of amps to back it up. Those really woke you up and I soon learned to keep fingers in the right place and one hand in a pocket!

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